Prothoracic Gland Semiochemicals of Green Lacewings

• Published in: Journal of chemical ecology Vol. 35; no. 10; pp. 1181 - 1187
• Main Authors: Aldrich, Jeffrey Richard, Le, Thanh C, Zhang, Qing-He, Torres, Jorge, Winterton, Shaun L, Han, Baoyu, Miller, Gary L, Chauhan, Kamlesh R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York New York : Springer-Verlag 01.10.2009; Springer-Verlag; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agriculture; allomones; Animal and plant ecology; animal tissue extracts; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Aquatic insects; Arthropods - chemistry; Arthropods - classification; Arthropods - metabolism; Autoecology; Biochemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Microscopy; Biomedical and Life Sciences; bodily secretions and exudates; Butterflies & moths; chemical composition; Chemicals; chemotaxonomy; Chrysopa; Chrysoperla; Chrysopidae; Ecology; Endocrine Glands - chemistry; Endocrine Glands - secretion; Entomology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; insect pheromones; lacewings; Life Sciences; Male; Pheromones - analysis; Pheromones - secretion; Phylogeny; predatory insects; prothoracic glands; Protozoa. Invertebrata; semiochemicals; species differences; Skatole; Chemotaxonomy; Pheromone; Amide; Biosynthesis; Predator; Iridodial; Chrysopidae; Tridecene; Allomone; Neuroptera; Taxonomy; Insecta; Arthropoda; Amid; Invertebrata; Semiochemicals; Prothoracic gland
• ISSN: 0098-0331; 1573-1561
• DOI: 10.1007/s10886-009-9701-x

Adult chrysopids have paired prothoracic glands (PG) that are thought to produce defensive secretions (allomones). We analyzed PG extracts of the following green lacewings from North and South America, Australia, and China: Ceraeochrysa cubana (Brazil); Chrysopa (= Co.) oculata, Co. nigricornis, Co. incompleta, Co. quadripunctata (USA), and Co. septempunctata (China); Chrysoperla (= Cl.) rufilabris (USA) and Cl. sp. (Brazil); Plesiochrysa ramburi and Mallada spp. (Australia). PG secretions are characteristic for species within a genus, except for Chrysopa spp. (Z)-4-Tridecene is ubiquitous, but (Z,Z)-4,7-tridecadiene is a major PG constituent in some Chrysopa spp. and in P. ramburi. Earlier reports that Co. oculata and Co. nigricornis produce 1-tridecene were shown to be in error. Chrysopa PG secretions are distinguished by the presence or absence of N-3-methylbutylacetamide, plus skatole (3-methylindole). Skatole is also identified for the first time from the Plesiochrysa and Ceraeochrysa. The PG secretion in Plesiochrysa ramburi is characterized by the presence of (Z)-4-undecene instead of (Z)-4-tridecene, and N-3-methylbutylpropanamide instead of the acetamide, resembling the PG secretions of Chrysopa nigricornis, Co. septempunctata and Co. incompleta. The chemotaxonomic value of PG semiochemicals is discussed, including evidence for subgroups within the genus Chrysopa as it now stands.